Tag: time off running

Four months ago I decided to take a season off from training. I stopped tracking mileage, stopped doing workouts, only ran as far or as fast as I wanted and only when I felt like it.

Recently, finally, I was cruising up a hill in the park, cool drizzle misting my face, when I noticed the muscles in my face working in an unaccustomed way: I was smiling. Beaming, in fact. My legs turned over faster and faster as I crested the hill and threw my head back. “I want to train, dammit!” I shouted to the damp, empty park. I raised my fist to the heavens, rain pelting my cheeks and mixing with the sweat and salt. “I want to traaaaain!”

It was an epic moment of triumphant release.

And it came crashing down like an ice bath dropped on me from five stories up when I got down to the business of actually training. Read more >>

It’s late at night and you’re curled up in bed with your beloved smartphone. You open up Instagram to watch some stories, mostly of your favorite runners, the ones you follow out of genuine interest and the ones you follow with morbid curiosity. And then the thought pops in your head: how do these people continue to train for race after race? Why is everything about running? Don’t they ever take any breaks?

The short answer is yes. Many runners take breaks, and these breaks often look different from runner to runner. Even pros take breaks after intense training cycles. For some, a break can be as short as a week or two off. For others, it may be longer, lingering into months-long hiatus territory.

Even so, some people continue to run during breaks, but focus less on structured training and more on running for enjoyment. Like many things, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. And, it’s true: it’s often difficult to take time off from running. But I’m here to reassure you that’s it’s not only possible but can also be done in a way that preserves both our fitness and our egos. Read more >>